The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Honourable Juliet Kavetuna launched the National Maternal and Child Health Vaccination week and further unveiled the new Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) to be introduced into the country’s routine immunization programme at public health facilities.

The Maternal and Child Health Week will take place on 16 – 20 November 2015.

During this week the Ministry will vaccinate children under five (5) years for polio, to be administered through injection on the right thigh of a child. The children will also be given Vitamin A supplement to protect them against night blindness and to build their body’s immunity against diseases. Children from 1-5 years will be given de-worming medicines while Women of Child Bearing Age 15-49 years will be screened for Tetanus Toxoid status and vaccinated accordingly.

Honourable Kavetuna, calls on parents, caregivers and the community to take children under 5 years of age to the nearest hospital, health center, clinic and temporal outreach point.